Resolution Copper, (RCM), is a joint venture owned by Rio Tinto and BHP, formed to develop and operate an underground copper mine on deeded, unpatented and land removed from mining by executive order at Superior, Arizona, U.S. The project targets a deep-seated porphyry copper deposit located under the now inactive Magma Mine. Rio Tinto has reported an inferred resource of 1.624 billion tonnes containing 1.47 per cent copper and 0.037 per cent molybdenum, at depths exceeding 1,300 metres (0.81 mi).[1] This would be one of the largest copper resources ever found in North America.[2]
The mining method planned to be used is block caving which creates subsidence. In an RCM report, subsidence is split into three categories collectively called "surface impact zones". These are intact zone, fracture zone and cave zone.[3] The report indicates a substantial cave zone, for this project, with a long dimension of 11⁄2 miles and a depth exceeding 850 feet.[3] The company is exploring solutions for tailings produced which will be on the order of 1.599 billion tones or 19.9 billion cubic feet. One possibility is using existing mined out open pits as tailing deposits.[4] The company hopes to have the new mine in production by 2020.[1][2] The proposed mine might be capable of producing 25 percent of projected future US copper demand for several decades.[2]
The project is currently stalled pending a proposed land swap with the federal government.[5] Resolution Copper has proposed to give the federal government 4,500 acres (18 km2) of environmentally sensitive land in Arizona in exchange for the 3,000-acre (12 km2) proposed mine site, which includes the popular Oak Flat Campground, which has been a protected area since 1955.[6] In May 2009 Arizona Democratic representative Ann Kirkpatrick introduced legislation in Congress to complete the land swap. The swap already has the support of Arizona's two Republican senators.[7] The swap also has considerable opposition and may have cost Ann Kirkpatrick her congressional seat.[8][9]
Resolution Copper also owns the mineral rights acquired from ASARCO to the Superior East deposit which is another deep seated porphyry deposit within a mile to the east.[10][11]